7 surprising foods to avoid in pregnancy

1. Dark chocolate

You may think you're choosing a healthier dessert, but be mindful of how many squares of dark choccy you're having. It's all down to the caffeine in cocoa beans, and dark chocolate contains a greater percentage of cocoa solids than milk or white chocolate. Leading Harley Street Dietitian Emer Delaney says:

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"When you're pregnant, caffeine should be limited. It crosses into the baby's blood and over consumption can affect its development, for example, resulting in low birth weight. Ideally, you should consume as little as possible but recommendations say you can consume a maximum of 200mg a day."

What does this mean for your chocolate habit? Alison Cullen, nutritional therapist and education manager for A.Vogel says you should look at the overall balance of caffeine in your diet. If you're not consuming any other caffeine, dark chocolate isn't a real problem. As Emer says:

"On average a 40g bar of dark chocolate will have approximately 27mg of caffeine. But as the cocoa percentage increases, so does the caffeine content, for example 40g of 80% can contain over 40mg of caffeine."

And if you're having a daily coffee (100mg+), tea (75mg), cola (40mg) or even taking cold and flu medication (which can contain caffeine), you should clock up how much you're consuming - it may be more than you think.

2. Fresh juice

Freshly squeezed juice sounds healthy for you and baby, but experts advise against buying juices from farmers markets and juice bars as they may not be pasteurised or treated in other ways to reduce harmful bacteria, including salmonella and E.coli. GP Roger Henderson says,

"Warning labels are not required on these products and so pregnant women should avoid these juices."

Opt for supermarket juice or, even better, whole fruit instead.

3. Raw baking dough

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It's VERY tempting to pick at the cake or cookie dough while you're baking – but the dough contains raw egg, which can contain the salmonella bacterium. Dr Penny Law, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist says:

"Salmonella bacterium can cross the placenta and, in some cases, can lead to miscarriage, premature labour, intrauterine death and other neonatal problems. Free-range hens can carry it but it is usually found in battery hens. Salmonella is killed by heat, so it's important to cook and reheat these food fully."

4. Tinned tuna

Tuna's a great source of lean protein, but be careful about how much you eat before and during pregnancy (and while you're breastfeeding). Emer explains,

"One reason is that oily fish, such as tuna, is high in mercury, which is known to affect the baby's brain and nervous system development. You need to limit your intake to a maximum of two tins or one fresh tuna steak (140g cooked) a week."

She also says that if you eat ANY tinned foods during pregnancy, be careful to ensure you finish them well within the recommended 'best before' guidelines on the packaging.

"Whilst there's nothing wrong with eating tinned foods, if they are outside of this date, they can harbour bacteria. Although this isn't harmful in general, if you're pregnant it's an important precaution. This actually applies to all foods, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as everything you consume will directly impact the health and development of your child."

As for other fish, she recommends avoiding swordfish because it contains high levels of Methylmercury, which could affect the nervous system development of your growing baby.

5. Raw sprouts

Avoid any kind of raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, and radish. These can contain bacteria such as E. Coli and listeria, which can cause food poisoning and complications during pregnancy. Cooked sprouts are safe to eat however. Alison says,

"Sprouted seeds and beans are likely to be washed but not cooked, so any bugs like listeria in the water left on the sprouts won't be killed. There was an incidence of contaminated sprouts in Germany a few years ago (due to contaminated water) so they may be seen as more problematic."

For the same reason, stay away from pre-packaged salads or salad bars. These can contain high levels of listeria. While it is rare, experts say the issue is increasing.

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6. Aloe vera

Touted as a health drink that's good for your gut, aloe vera juice is rich in nutrients and fibre. But the downside is that it can also act as a uterine stimulant, which can lead to a woman's uterus to contract. Marilyn Glenville, a nutritionist specialising in women's health says,

"Aloes contains anthraquinones, a strong purgative often used as a laxative. Pregnant women should avoid taking (internally) aloe vera products that could contain anthraquinones. But externally-applied aloe vera gel during pregnancy is not believed to cause concern."

7. Fizzy drinks

Aside from also containing caffeine, loads of sugar and bubbles that lead to uncomfotable bloat, Alison says they can also cause heartburn:

"I find that clients are often addicted to them, which concerns me – things that are completely healthy don't cause addiction. You never get a headache from cutting out broccoli."

Bonus: Big portions

It can sometimes be about how much you eat, rather than what you eat that causes discomfort. According to Alison, you're more likely to have issues with room in your stomach after meals.

"One of the biggest problems I see in my clinic is heartburn and reflux caused by the stomach being squashed by the growing baby. The solution, or maybe minimisation of the problem as it's only really solved when the baby is born, is to choose nutrient-dense foods such as dried fruit, seeds rather than bulky carbs like white rice, bread, pasta, etc."

Alison recommends that after you've just eaten, go on all fours for a few minutes to let your stomach settle. Continuous problems may be relieved by heartburn medications such as Rennie tablets (RRP £4.50, Amzon.co.uk).

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